Transition to residential part time

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ALNElectric

Member
Location
Va,USA
Hello,
I'm new to the forum but not the electrical field. I'm currently working as an electric serviceman with the local electric utility. But I have been considering getting my license to perform work part time on the residential side. Mostly specializing in service upgrades and panel/meter base replacement.

Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
1. Spend time here.. lots of interesting info to be gained
2 Don't give up your regular job :D It can be brutal out there
 

JFletcher

Senior Member
Location
Williamsburg, VA
Welcome. any advice? yes; you'll need to do much more than panel changes/service upgrades to stay remotely busy; we would anyway - they have accounted for less than 2% of our work this year.
 

ALNElectric

Member
Location
Va,USA
That is just the items I plan on focusing on. Being in the utility side of things I see a whole lot of these gone bad. Plus I'm in an older area where there is a lot of upgrading taking place. Also. This is a part time thing. I also have a property mgt company that had contacted me about being there primary electrician for the projects.
 

Fulthrotl

~Autocorrect is My Worst Enema.~
That is just the items I plan on focusing on. Being in the utility side of things I see a whole lot of these gone bad. Plus I'm in an older area where there is a lot of upgrading taking place. Also. This is a part time thing. I also have a property mgt company that had contacted me about being there primary electrician for the projects.

"the projects"?

as in "the projects" where you can't tell if you want to leave an armed guard
with your truck when you go inside, or say screw the truck, you come with me?
 

ALNElectric

Member
Location
Va,USA
Absolutely. I laughed pretty good before I replied because I had never put one and one together on that. I'm just looking to make some extra income. And slowly build my self in the industry. I'm not looking for full time income. I work shift work so I have time during the day to work this business then go to my " 9 to 5 @ n the evening.
 

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
Absolutely. I laughed pretty good before I replied because I had never put one and one together on that. I'm just looking to make some extra income. And slowly build my self in the industry. I'm not looking for full time income. I work shift work so I have time during the day to work this business then go to my " 9 to 5 @ n the evening.

Well, residential work is a whole different animal. Anything inside is totally different than what a linesman does, but residential work is really different.

My apprenticeship was all commercial/industrial with focus on heavy industrial. I was forced into the 'residential world' as a result of a downturn in the economy. I had to learn a whole bunch of new stuff, the most important being how to interact with inspectors.

I am glad I did spend the time to learn that part of the trade, though.

Good luck.
 

ALNElectric

Member
Location
Va,USA
I couldn't agree more. I'm actually excited and looking forward to the new things I'll be learning through this adventure. Fortunately we deal closely with the inspectors of most localities in the position I'm in now.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Does this mean you will be able to do your own disconnect/reconnects? That would be a real advantage!

Welcome to the Forum
Don't let your position with the utility influence your decision as to the necessity/urgency of these jobs. Avoid conflicts of interest.

Is your current employer (POCO) ok with you doing this "second job"? By being able to do your own disconnect/reconnect or even your ability to seek out clients based on what you see while doing your other job may not be something they want from their employees.
 
Welcome to the Forum
Don't let your position with the utility influence your decision as to the necessity/urgency of these jobs. Avoid conflicts of interest.

I'm not sure I follow you with that. I'm understand the conflict of interest. But not the necessity/urgency statement.


True story:

Local POCO is allowed to just cut taps if they see what they determine to be an unsafe condition.

local POCO employee starts electrical contracting business on the side.

local POCO cuts taps on questionable service to multi-family dwelling and hands out business card of co-worker.

Owner of multi-family (local licensed electrical contractor) gets phone call from tenant.

Major S##t storm ensues
 

ALNElectric

Member
Location
Va,USA
In other words......one bad apple ruins it for all.

I can't force a customer to contact me or anyone else as an electrician for a service. They have the right to choose whoever they want. It's no different than me going there and determining they have an issue on there side of the meter and them asking me if I know an electrician they can call. And I recommend them one that I know does good work.

I'm not out to rob them blind. Just because I work for the utility also. What other method would you all recommend to someone in my situation that works for POCO but wants to get into the other side of things. As another career option.

Im open to suggestions/recommendations. I want to go about this the right way.

Thanks for the input.
 

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
I'm new to the forum but not the electrical field. I'm currently working as an electric serviceman with the local electric utility. But I have been considering getting my license to perform work part time on the residential side. Mostly specializing in service upgrades and panel/meter base replacement.

Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.

What other method would you all recommend to someone in my situation that works for POCO but wants to get into the other side of things. As another career option.

Im open to suggestions/recommendations. I want to go about this the right way.

Thanks for the input.

Have you worked as an electrician under a licensed electrical contractor? The reason I ask is that the POCO doesn't come under NEC regulations and I'm not sure if the state would accept this sort of work experience for a license ( an EC license ).

If you do have the correct experience to get a state license then you may want to conduct your part time business in an area other that where you work in the day time so as to avoid the idea of a conflict of interest.

I think I would at least ask my employeer if a side business is OK with them and what areas I would be able to work.
 

ALNElectric

Member
Location
Va,USA
I have a property mgt company that has contacted me about being there go to electrician when working on their houses. I may just stick with them and let any referrals for work come through them. So that I'm not having to promote myself. To clear myself from the conflict of interest. What do you all think of that idea.

Thanks.
 
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